Normative values of accommodation functions in young Saudi adults in the Qassim region

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose is to establish normative values for accommodation functions in young adults in the Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This prospective cross-sectional study involving 409 healthy male adults with a mean age of 21.44 ± 1.88 years was conducted at Qassim University. The study evaluated several ocular parameters, including visual acuity, refractive errors, amplitude of accommodation (AA) using both the push-up and minus-lens-to-blur methods, accommodative response using the monocular estimation method (MEM), relative accommodation using minus and plus lenses, and accommodative facility using flipper lenses. RESULTS: The mean normative values for monocular AA measured by the push-up and minus-lens-to-blur were 15.74 ± 3.71 D, and 10.13 ± 1.81 D, respectively. For binocular AA, the push-up yielded 17.49 ± 3.50 D, while the minus-lens-to-blur showed 10.44 ± 1.77 D. The t-test revealed significant differences between the two techniques (P < 0.0001). The mean accommodative response using the MEM was 0.92 ± 0.37. The mean for positive relative accommodation is 6.29 ± 2.12 D, and negative relative accommodation is 2.41 ± 0.55D. Monocular accommodative facility 8.22 ± 3.19 cycles/min, and binocular 7.29 ± 2.99 cycles/minute. The AA predictions using age-based linear equations were as follows: push-up method (23.34 − 0.35 × age in years) and minus-lens-to-blur method (16.11 − 0.28 × age in years). CONCLUSION: The current study provides information on the norms of accommodative function ranges for young adults in Saudi Arabia, a demographic that has not been previously studied. This data can serve as baseline normative values for diagnosing accommodation anomalies in young adults in this region. These findings will guide clinicians and researchers in understanding the expected accommodative function of Saudi young adults.